Chicks in the Office – Julianne Hough Interview: 'DWTS' S34 & More, 'TSITP' Conrad Hot Take + Beat Ria & Fran Game 188

Date: September 5, 2025
Hosts: Ria and Fran (Barstool Sports)
Special Guest: Julianne Hough

Episode Overview

This episode is packed with pop culture commentary, fan interactions, and an in-depth interview with Dancing With The Stars host Julianne Hough. Ria and Fran discuss the upcoming Chicks in the Office live tour, take listener voicemails on hot pop culture takes, recap new TV obsessions (including The Summer I Turned Pretty and true crime docs), and close with their recurring “Beat Ria & Fran” trivia game. The highlight is a candid, energetic chat with Julianne Hough about the future of DWTS, social media’s power, and her evolving career.

Key Segments & Discussion Highlights

1. Tour Announcements and Fall Vibes

Timestamps: 02:08–04:50

• Ria and Fran announce the Chicks in the Office Fall and Holiday Tour, covering cities like Washington D.C., Milwaukee, Chicago (Halloween show), Cincinnati, and Philadelphia (the "hometown" Christmas show for Fran).
• The segment is filled with their signature playful banter.
  Quote:
  • Ria: “Nothing tickles my fancy like fall tour. I love it.” (04:28)
  • Fran (on Philly): “We love it. And it’s technically, we like to call it a hometown show for Fran.” (03:30)

2. Travel, FOMO & The Summer I Turned Pretty Recap

Timestamps: 05:10–10:12

• The hosts discuss upcoming travel, feeling out of sync by not watching TV shows together (especially The Summer I Turned Pretty), and Matt’s reactions to key episodes.
• Light teasing about restaurant overhype in new cities.
• Outfits and personal style observations.
• Upcoming Wicked musical countdown.

3. Sports, Football Fandom, and Documentaries

Timestamps: 11:07–17:00

• NFL season return; Fran’s Eagles loyalty, Ria’s honorary Bills fandom, and Buffalo trip memories.

• Saquon Barkley’s upcoming documentary, the power of “filming your own greatness,” and nostalgia-driven discussions about old home videos and how parents “just knew” their kids were special (or not!).

• The recent boom in sports documentaries (Cowboys, Chiefs, Hard Knocks).

  Quote:

  • Ria: “I’m an honorary Bills fan… Josh Allen, Hailee Steinfeld.” (12:38)

4. Review: Unknown Number Netflix Documentary

Timestamps: 18:53–28:40

• Ria and Fran passionately dissect the shocking documentary about a mother who anonymously harasses her own daughter by text.

• Strong language about the emotional toll, the mental health aspect, and the culture around internet-driven “Munchausen” behaviors.

• Reflections on the documentary’s “who dunnit” format, parental motives, and lack of clear boundary between victim and perpetrator.

  Memorable Quotes:

  • Fran: “There’s a whole nother level of psycho when you go through all of this and then you’re like, yeah, I’m gonna sit down and reenact all this and people are gonna watch it for a documentary.” (22:09)
  • Ria: “This mom needs to be put away… Like, forever.” (20:41)

5. Interview: Julianne Hough – Dancing With The Stars S34

Timestamps: 30:11–62:39

Main Topics:

• DWTS Season 34 Cast:

  • Julianne praises the variety and likability of the new cast, notes the show’s shift to embrace social media and TikTok personalities (notably Alex Earl).
    • Julianne: “It literally could be anybody’s at this point.” (31:19)
    • “Nobody has ever talked about the show as consistently when the season’s not even going as it has this last year.” (33:32)

• Social Media’s Role:

  • The cast is more active on social, creating buzz and pulling in new demographics.
  • Show now straddles two worlds: network TV & viral digital culture.
    • Julianne: “It almost feels like we’re doing two separate shows at the same time.” (34:41)
    • “You have to do it in an authentic way. So, like, what is my ‘why’?” (35:49)

• Behind-the-Scenes Dynamics:

  • How cast members are paired, the growth of “authentic” desire among celebrities to join the show.
  • The competitive but friendly energy among the professional dancers, especially with new additions (notably Jan, from Taylor Swift’s ERAS tour).
    • Julianne: “Now I’m like, I wonder what this dynamic is gonna bring in… I do feel a sense of competitive, like, charge come back.” (61:38)

• Evolving Roles:

  • Julianne discusses moving from pro dancer to judge to host, preferring her host role now for being more present with contestants.
    • “I love watching other people shine.” (38:17)
    • “I have so much respect for the dancers and what they do.” (38:33)

• Family & Career Reflections:

  • Working with brother Derek Hough; their sibling “parallel paths.”
  • Most shocking career milestones: blending her siblings’ dreams, and the journey from Broadway to acting, music, and now hosting.
  • On new perspectives and being a “Jack of all trades,”:
    • “I’m sort of that, like, Jack of all Trades, master of none kind of thing. But…the mastery is that you can do it a little, whatever.” (58:24)
  • Julianne’s excitement over designing Derek and Hayley’s baby room.

• Iconic Moments:

  • Favorite moments as host (e.g. Man in Finance dance), as pro (first samba with Apollo Ohno—her “coming out” moment), and full-circle experiences with the main judges.
    • “Just sitting next to Len and like Carrie Ann and Bruno…was just like…a full circle moment of this is where I started.” (47:23)

• Realness with Fans:

  • Viral interactions, TikTok ‘cringe’ culture, and her infamous Timothée Chalamet question:
    • “Be cringe. You’re at least putting yourself out there.” (46:48)
  • Viewers’ (sometimes limited) awareness of her legacy as a dancer.

Notable Quotes:

• On the show’s transformation:
  • “People are literally begging to be on the show now.” (36:28)
• On competitive spirit:
  • “Everybody wants everybody to win, but everybody wants to win.” (62:16)

6. Popcorner: Hot Takes & Listener Questions

Timestamps: 64:39–81:18

• The Summer I Turned Pretty “Conrad Hot Take” — Debating whether Conrad’s secrecy is selfish or protective.
• Pop culture parallels: Justin & Hailey Bieber as the new Beckhams.
• Real Housewives of Miami: The importance of acknowledging real-life events (e.g. cancer) in reality TV rewards/sympathy.
• One Tree Hill and TSITP Soundtracks: Curating “what-if” playlists; the pivotal role of songs in TV storylines.

7. Beat Ria & Fran: Game 188

Timestamps: 82:08–101:43

• Fan-favorite pop culture trivia matchup featuring listener contestants Kayla & Joe.
• Range of questions spans Mean Girls to Harry Potter to Taylor Swift lyrics and classic rom-coms.
• Tense overtime round, with Ria & Fran clinching an 8-7 victory.
• Lots of nostalgia, laughs, and witty in-game banter.
  • Ria: "This is a tennis match, seriously… a little back and forth. Ping pong." (94:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Shocking True Crime Docs:
  • Fran: “There’s a whole nother level of psycho when … people are gonna watch it for a documentary.” (22:09)
• On DWTS’s New Cast:
  • Julianne: “People are literally begging to be on the show now.” (36:28)
• On Cringe Culture:
  • Julianne: “Be cringe. You’re at least putting yourself out there.” (46:48)
• Sibling Rivalry:
  • Julianne on her career vs. Derek’s: “Well I started judging. Well I started judging. And I’m like, what are you gonna do now? Host? And now he’s the host of Extra so…” (54:18)
• On the Role Social Media Plays Now:
  • Julianne: “It almost feels like we’re doing two separate shows at the same time.” (34:41)

Episode Structure (with Key Timestamps)

• 02:08–04:50 – Tour Announcements
• 05:10–10:12 – TV Recaps, FOMO, Style
• 11:07–17:00 – NFL, Sports Docs, Fan Fandom
• 18:53–28:40 – Netflix Documentary Discussion
• 30:11–62:39 – Julianne Hough/DWTS Interview
• 64:39–81:18 – Popcorner: Voicemails & Hot Takes
• 82:08–101:43 – Beat Ria & Fran Trivia
• 101:43–End – Outro and Tour Reminder

Tone & Style

True to Chicks in the Office form: fast-paced, energetic, irreverent, and pop-culture obsessed—with a healthy dose of personal storytelling and candid, unfiltered opinions. Pop culture fans, TV junkies, and DWTS followers will find this episode rich in insights, inside jokes, and nostalgia.

TL;DR

An action-packed CITO episode: Ria and Fran announce a fall tour; break down DWTS S34 with Julianne Hough (who reveals how social media and new cast members are transforming the show); debate wild theories about Conrad on The Summer I Turned Pretty; review a disturbing true crime documentary; answer listener hot takes; and defend their crown in a high-stakes trivia game. Unfiltered, funny, deeply inside-y, and packed with must-hear pop culture goodness.